WILDOMAR: Neighbors alleging contamination voice frustration

Wil Lybarger, a resident of the Autumnwood neighborhood in Wildomar, complains to organizers that a microphone is needed so more people could hear during a meeting Tuesday at Wildomar Elementary School that focused on alleged contamination in the neighborhood.
Hayne Palmour IV

Wil Lybarger, a resident of the Autumnwood neighborhood in Wildomar, complains to organizers that a microphone is needed so more people could hear during a meeting Tuesday at Wildomar Elementary School that focused on alleged contamination in the neighborhood.

Residents of a Wildomar neighborhood attending a meeting with county and state officials this week vehemently called on them to investigate whether the soil on their properties is contaminated.

"People are sick and dying. We have lost everything," said Xonia Villanueva, directing her remarks at representatives of the state Department of Toxic Substances Control.

"You guys need to get off your ass and do something," cried out Thomas Ciccarelli. "This is not a joke. This is serious."

Ciccarelli's wife died earlier this year from pneumonia-like symptoms and other families in the small Autumnwood subdivision of Wildomar, including Villanueva's, have reported respiratory illnesses, skin rashes and other ailments. The situation led them to file a lawsuit earlier this year against contractors and various agencies.

The suit alleges there are high levels of volatile organic compounds in their homes that could have caused the illnesses, based on an analysis commissioned by their attorney, Julia Swanson.

Several families, including the Ciccarellis and Villanuevas, have moved out of their homes, while continuing to pay on their mortgages, for fear of illness and possibly death.

State air and toxic substances control officials responded, however, that the levels of chemicals cited in Swanson's letter to them did not appear dangerous, contributing to the rising ire that spilled out among about 50 residents at Tuesday's gathering.

Wildomar Mayor Ben Benoit, with the support of the city's staff, organized the meeting at Wildomar Elementary School. The idea was to give residents a chance to discuss their issues with representatives of toxic substance control, the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the county departments of environmental health and public health.

During opening remarks, Jill Whynot, the air district's assistant executive deputy officer for engineering and compliance, said the agency evaluated the figures provided by Swanson.

"We're seeing that a lot of the levels are pretty much typical of what you see with outdoor air," she said.

She added, however, there are some substances that appear to be present in higher numbers. The district plans to conduct its own testing within the next couple of weeks both indoors and outdoors at several homes, she said.

He welcomed residents to supply any further evidence they might have, while Interim County Public Health Director Cameron Kaiser urged them to provide medical records that could be analyzed for trends.

Yet, many of the residents were in no mood for what they perceived as excuses for inaction.

Although organizers envisioned that residents would individually stroll from table to table to chat with the officials, a cluster of people led by Villanueva crowded around Scandura and peppered him with accusations and demands for an investigation.

Then they demanded a microphone so the meeting could be turned into a forum.

Although initially reluctant, organizers turned on a microphone and allowed those in attendance to state their views or ask questions.

Repeatedly, residents blasted toxic control officials for what they perceived as indifference to their plight.

"Your are ignoring our cries for help and we're asking you to do your job," Villanueva said.

Another one of the litigants, Jennifer Muniz said, "There's many of us ranging from infants to the elderly that are sick. ... My husband and I walked away from our homes just like Mrs. Villanueva and her family because we were sick."

As he had stated before, Scandura assured the residents that his agency would analyze the air quality district's test results and determine whether they warrant soil testing.

He asked residents to come forth with as much information as they could about the history of the land on which their homes had been built.

Some have asserted that dirt used for the building pads is contaminated.

After the meeting, Robert Marsteller, one of the more vocal among the residents, said he and his wife had uncovered numerous debris, such as discarded roof tiles, license plates and oily rags, while digging in the soil. However, they threw away the materials because at the time they weren't sick and they had no reason to believe anything was wrong.

Although obviously frustrated with what he had heard, he applauded the air quality district for promising to do testing, as did Ciccarreli, who is an active-duty Marine based at Camp Pendleton.